


Tadaima! Okaeri!

by Codename_Mallory_Grace



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Badass and soft Esther Sinclair, Campaign 03 Season 01: The Unsleeping City, Cultural References, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Home, Moving In Together, Sharing Cultures, Written before Chapter II aired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Codename_Mallory_Grace/pseuds/Codename_Mallory_Grace
Summary: Taken aback and unsure why Ricky does it at first, Esther soon loves hearing "I'm home" more than anything else.[A new tradition for Esther as she and Ricky settle in their relationship and home.]
Relationships: Ricky Matsui/Esther Sinclair
Comments: 6
Kudos: 75





	Tadaima! Okaeri!

Esther doesn’t think too much on it the first time Ricky calls out “I’m home” when he walks into his own apartment. She’s happily settled on the small balcony as she has the spare key to his apartment. In fact, she had it for almost their entire relationship so far. He gave it to her in the solely unique Ricky-way of breezing past “big relationship” milestones without batting one of his pretty eyelashes.

She knows he knows she’s here, but she still calls out, “I’m on the balcony!”

It’s rare that Esther gets to see Ricky right after work, she works far too many late nights at the Society, but today is one of Rowan’s workshop and there isn’t a chance that Rowan would let a captive audience go quickly.

Still, by Ricky’s smile and laughs, today is a good day. She completely forgets the small curiosity as they recount their own days and their friends’ latest adventures, which thankfully only tangentially involve them this time. Ghost shit is only fun the first time, so Pete should get to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as much as he can.

And maybe, secretly, Esther wants him to struggle, just a little, for interrupting them on Ricky’s anniversary of entering the Unsleeping City. It was, after all, the first night either of them felt comfortable using magic in bed.

Actually, Pete’s insistent knocking caused her to burn her favorite curtains, so yeah, the Vox Phantasma will do without her fucking awesome brain and her kickass boyfriend. Just this once.

* * *

Esther remembers her question when, one day, Ricky calls out “I’m home” as he walks into _her_ apartment. Her stomach flutters similarly to how it did when they first met, and whenever Ricky inadvertently says and does the sweetest and/or kindest thing. Only this time, she gets to openly reciprocate. Well, not too openly, old habits die hard and all that, but enough that Ricky sees it.

He peppers quick kisses around her face, to which she hums her joy and amusement, and she finds the words to her question, “So not that I don’t love it or anything, but why do you always say ‘I’m home’ whenever you come into your apartment or mine?”

She winces at how sharply that came out, but Ricky, always looking for the kindest explanation, doesn’t take it harshly, and earnestly says: “Oh, I guess I still do that, don’t I?

“’Still?’”

“Yeah, my family and I always say that and reply ‘welcome back’ whenever someone come home. It’s just how we let each other know we came home safely.”

Even if he isn’t a firefighter anymore, safety is always Ricky’s number one concern. It makes sense that some of that concern comes from his family and their practice. At the same time, Esther can’t help but feel a prick of envy for Ricky and his family, always warm and there for each other. Though things are getting better for her family, years of losing her remaining small family and living alone are hard to shake off. She hugs her mom and grandma whenever she sees them, but she can’t help that small voice saying this will be the last time.

Sorrow doesn’t overtake her, though, as she fully understands what Ricky is saying. Regardless of whose place he goes to, he says it knowing she’s listening and has been saying it for a while now.

Happiness, and deep within a magical energy Pete calls Happy Dream Magic, overwhelms her. She doesn’t quite set anything on fire or lightning bolt anything, but she does pull Ricky down to her height, looks him in the eyes with every thread of love, affection, and joy in her heart, and says, “Welcome home.”

She tries so hard not to jump him in the front door, not that that has stopped them in the past, but a moment like this should be celebrated in a better place.

In the end, she _climbs_ him in then and there.

* * *

Esther loves New York. It’s her city. Her people. Her place. And it’s wonderful in the spring. But goddamn do some people need to learn basic city etiquette! And it’s not just the tourist!

Every other day, she writes off as a part of living here. And sometimes, most of the time, there’s a good story somewhere, if you look hard enough. But when it comes to entitled Spring Breakers in the city, she just wants to set something on fire. Or freeze the brats in place. Or punch… something.

If she wasn’t certain most of the brats were just mundane people, she thinks they were vampires sucking out joy and life out of the city itself, not unlike Rowan. Okay, that’s unfair. Rowan does give back what she takes, if Esther understands how fae shit works correctly, but she can’t think of any other beings who leech off of energy.

The proverbial camel-in-the-city’s back breaks when one of those hipsters stop her and ask to take a picture of her for a blog. While she was in the middle of a conversation with Sofie (about a get together with Em). She knows she looks good. She just taught Ricky how to properly color her hair and he did a fantastic job. But she will not be some prop for these brats.

Sofie, bless her, steps in, shoos them away, and lets her go while suggesting she takes the rest of the day off without mentioning the visible vein popping from her head. Stress from the increase in brats and the growing mess of a pigeon rebellion. _Don’t ask._

She goes to Ricky’s place tonight because she knows there’s a chance Ox will be there. Ox is a good dog and, like Ricky, centers her mind and lets her forget everything for a brief moment.

Lady luck hears her call as Ox nearly runs her over when she opens the door. She lets him give her kisses as she guides them to couch. There she flops onto it, stomach first, and lets Ox prop his head on her back.

She’s not sure how long she lays there, probably too long, but the next thing she register is Ricky’s voice, “I’m home!”

Maybe this day isn’t a total wash, she thinks and calls out, “Welcome back,” with a sleep-laden voice.

Stress leaves her as she somehow becomes sandwiched between Ricky and Ox. The brats can have one more day in the Big City before she brings down her wrath. 

* * *

_No, Pete, I’m_ not _nervous,_ she said less than ten hours ago. Like a goddamn liar.

Her words haunt her the entire walk up to Ricky’s family apartment from the car. It’s not a long walk, thankfully, but that only means she has to face them sooner. Not that they are bad folks. Like Ricky, and his sister, his folks are the sweetest people she’s ever met. It must be a Matsui thing.

It’s just, when they have met, they meet in public. Not in the family home. Or apartment. Whatever. Same thing.

She even brought a plate of homemade latkes as gift because her mother did not teach her to be a bad guest. Though Ricky insists it’s not necessary, his parents adore her already, and was shocked to see her cook something not packaged, she _can_ (selectively) cook thank you very much, she will still honor them as the wonderful host and parents that they are.

Besides, the first time they met, as her boyfriend, Ricky picked her mom and grandma a bouquet of flowers. Each. Turnabout is fair play. He isn’t the only one who can be a gentleman sweeping mothers off their feet in this relationship.

Regardless, nothing stops her heart from racing as Ricky unlocks on the door and that dreaded time as the door swings open passes in slow motion.

She knows the place was small, as Ricky said, so from the opening door, she can see all the way through a one-room space trying to be the living room, dining room, and kitchen all at once. Emiko, in the middle of setting the table, spots them first and runs over to her brother for a hug. Great hugs must be another Matsui trait.

His dad lets out a hearty laugh at the sight of his much smaller adult daughter hanging off his son like a monkey. It is fucking adorable. And precious. 

His mom turns around from her spot in the kitchen with a smile on her face that makes Esther want to, simultaneously, stay forever and bolt out of the building. By window or door, doesn’t matter.

Before she dares to run, Ricky says, “We’re home.”

She will not kiss Ricky silly in front of his parents for saying that. She will not drop her plate of cooling latkes. She will tear up a little when his parents, with smiles, reply, “ _Okaeri.”_

* * *

With her mom bouncing from place to place all over New York, it’s hard to know when or where the best place to meet for brunch is. So, their mother-daughter and mother-daughter brunch is usually at her place. She contributes the juice for each brunch while her mom and grandma bustle in the kitchen. She slowly learns how to cook with patience with them. Though they still refuse to let her cook the turkey bacon because she set the pan on fire with magic and burned every slice. _Once, mother_.

She doesn’t mind it feeling like a teenager in that moment. They can’t make up for lost years, but it’s nice to have memories like that. They can create memories like that.

But with every treasured, precious moment with her family, there comes the more embarrassing ones. Like the times her mom and grandma team up, a little too often for her liking, and ask about her and Ricky. She really wishes they didn’t know about the calendar. Or at least didn’t one a copy each because that’s just a little weird. Right?

Her mom, in the middle of pointing out how much work out equipment and clothes, _shoes and shirts_ , lie around her place, stops when the front door opens.

She’s not expecting Ricky, he knows Sunday morning is brunch with moms and daughters.

Her grandma, however, has too smart of a smile on her mouth to be innocent. Of course, why just embarrass your granddaughter, when you can have her and her boyfriend as targets at the same time?

“I’m home!” Ricky calls out without a second thought.

Clearly, neither of them expects that greeting, whether its nature or that Ricky calls her place home is in the air.

With a smile, on one upping their surprise, she replies, “Welcome home.”

She will remember the soft looks her mom and grandma give her as Ricky settles down at the fourth plate.

She’ll also start buying more food for brunch.

* * *

With both of them basically living half of their lives at each other’s place, moving in together in a bigger place is takes a while for them, but it’s an easy decision once it’s on the table.

Actually living with each other takes work. A lot of work with their clashing lifestyles.

Ricky wakes up at the crack of dawn to start his morning workout routine. He’s loud routine. Sometimes, when the weather is good, or not good but Esther really needs sleep, he’ll jog outside for a few miles. And every time, Esther wakes up with a new Mr. March tag trending in her feeds.

While she, by habit, takes a lot of work home. Who knew mapping Nod would require so many books and scrolls? Sofie and Rowan want her to digitalize, but she’s not letting any camera near these papers. Yet. So, it’s not completely uncommon for her to watch the wrong side of the sunrise then go to bed.

Or the fact Ricky rarely keeps junk food stocked, while, sometimes, she just wants the fattest and saltiest processed food with a taste of heartburn.

Or when they share the living room on the weekend doing some work, just happy to be near each other, they listen to completely different music. She can only work with heavy, loud rock music that drown out her thoughts. He can only listen to instrumental music with absolutely no vocals.

But they learn and work together to build a home. No more split living.

He begins doing morning yoga instead of heavy lifting in the living room. 

On her all-nighter days, she briefly watches the sunrise with tired eyes next to a refreshed Ricky, then kisses him good morning and cocoons herself in blankets. But she tries to get at least some hours sleeping in the same bed as him. Cuddling is, after all, way better than dusty pulpit. Any day.

They buy groceries together, and have a shared list on the fridge.

She finds instrumental versions of her favorite sons, and he grows familiar with her music he can ignore the lyrics on a select few.

It’s a lot of work and she’s not used to working with people, a person, to make a relationship last, or improve. Doing that risk being disappointed by another, or guilt from disappointing them.

But she wants this whole relationship. Them together. Him and her. Their future. Their home.

“I’m home!” she calls out to a warm home. _I love you_ she means.

“Welcome home,” Ricky, and Ox, rush to greet her at the door like she’s their entire world.

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this fic drafted for awhile, but it wasn't until now that I thought it was polished enough. And I hope I have the little cultural details correct.
> 
> I adore these two, and they deserve the world and all the soft and fluff in a loving relationship. 
> 
> Thank you for reading what pretty much amounts to my headcanon of their relationship, at least before Chapter II.


End file.
